Living an episode
by Tessa
Summary: A little story Natasha and I wrote together ~ sorry for any errors.


Living a story Tessa Vermeulen. Normal Tessa Vermeulen. 3 10 2001-10-28T09:59:00Z 2001-10-28T10:09:00Z 14 5085 28989 Student 241 57 35600 9.3821 21 6 pt 6 pt 0 

Living a episode

**By Natasha and Tessa**

**Prologue**

Do you know that feeling? You see a TV show and before you know it you're hooked up. But have you ever wondered what would happen when you are a part of that show. Well, that you think you are in that show, but the characters don't know it is a show, they are really Lord John Roxton, Marguerite Krux, Veronica Layton, Ned Malone, George Challenger and Arthur Summerlee and not the actors who play them. That happened to Natasha and me. Natasha was working in the Amazon jungle for archaeologists had discovered a very old map written in an old language. She is one of the few who can read that language. While she was reading that, she discovered more. She smelled a good story, so she mailed me when she came back in her hotel. That was the moment our adventure started…

**~~~~~**

Year 2003, summer.

"*****" Newspaper office, the editor-in-chief called their best reporter, Tessa Vermeulen. It's for two years she has been writing outstanding articles, since she first wrote an article in French for support of the science fiction show "The Lost World". The editor asked her to go to the Amazon jungle and make a cool report about some new discovered tribe.

The tribe was discovered by some international expedition, which was gathering and analysing some old languages. Tessa returned home and decided to check her mailbox. _«Well»_ she thought, _«how nice to have Internet at home»_ She smiled at the thought of how she had to wait at it at school two years ago.

There were some letters, offers from magazines, advertisement ... and ... what! A letter from Nata: ~ Dear Taz, haven't heard from you for ages, I guess you have heard of our expedition and the odd tribe. Come here ASAP, it's connected with TLW! Bye Nata. ~ So Tessa began to pack ...........

When she had packed all her things, she went to the airport and took the first flight to the Amazon jungle. After ten hours the plane started to land, but something went wrong and the plane crashed in the middle of the jungle.

Meanwhile Natasha was getting worried. _«Where the hell is she?»_ Then she heard that the plane Tessa had taken had crashed in the middle of the jungle. She ran to her car and raced to her hotel ..........

She thought how nice it was to have a car. _«I've always dreamed about this.»_ But another thought reminded her of her friend's accident, so she pressed gas and drive as fast as it was possible. At the hotel (very cosy btw) she contacted the rescue crew and they told plane hadn't been found yet. Then she called their expedition pilot and he agreed to have a flight. Natasha began to pack all necessary (or even maybe unnecessary) things, just as always. Then she had to wait for the pilot's arrival. Meanwhile she turned on the TV and caught a TLW episode from season 5. Then the pilot called her and she rushed out of the room, went into the helicopter and they headed towards the jungle ..........

When they were in the air for a few hours, Natasha saw a glimpse of the crashed plane. "Here it is. I saw the plane." The helicopter landed on an open place not far from the crashed plane. After an hour walk they finally got to the plane. Natasha went in to look for Tessa, but how good she looked, Tessa had seemed vanished ..........

Natasha began to watch carefully the nearest area with the necessary equipment. She analysed the spots and steps, remembering Conan Doyle's books. She called the rescue team and gave them the coordinates. She examined one clue carefully, something was wrong, she could feel it. She began to follow steps. It seemed that Tessa was OK. _«At least she could walk»_ Nata thought. Then someone came from behind, as the steps told. And there were some more unknown steps. And there were no steps of the pilot and the crew. They vanished of were carried! Nata felt terrible, she hated unknown troubles. So luckily she had ammo with her, and her favourite gun. So she moved fearless trough the jungle, ordering the pilot to wait here for the rescue team and told him where she had gone ..........

Nata walked trough the jungle. All of a sudden she slipped and felled. An hour later she woke up and looked around. _«Where am I?»_ She stood up and started looking for Tessa. Maybe here was a clue. All of a sudden she stood still. _«This can't be!!»_ The ground was trembling and she heard a big roar. When she turned around she saw an enormous beast. She started running. When she got herself in safety by hiding in the bushes she heard someone yelling 

"Let go of me!! Don't you dare to touch me!" 

"Thank God, she's fine" ..........

Natasha stood still in strong fear. She wanted to help but wasn't sure where that voice came from. "Hey there!" she dared to scream. "Anybody hear me?" There was no response. Then reality flashed in her brains. _«What was it?! It can't be what I think! No that just can't be!»_ But that roaring thing looked quite real and hungry, so she nervously pressed her gun and took a compass and the transmitter from her backpack. She tried to launch the radio but she heard only noise. She rolled the tuner but nothing changed. Then she looked at the compass, the arrows widely turned from one side to another. _«No. That's not possible... unless it's...»_ Suddenly that voice appeared again. 

"Just my luck, damn it! Oh help me, somebody!!!!!!!"

Natasha decided what side to run, then, out of the bushes, she saw someone, she couldn't see exactly who for the person was covered with petals of a big pink flower, which seemed to be alive and was moving it's leaves and long green roots around that person, trying to strangle his trophy. _«Just like the big mim plant in The journey begins which captured Ned, as Veronica said then it was a predator plant which attracts it's prey with wonderful flowers and a wonderful tune.»_ Natasha saw the plant has already nearly killed that person, so she quickly got her knife and began to cut lower the roots. The plant yelled and shook, then lost that person, who felt to the ground and lost consciousness. Nata moved closer, removed the plant rests, turned the person's face up to see that it was ..........

Not Tessa who had been captured by the plant, but someone who, looked exactly like Rachel Blakely. Natasha backed off with widened eyes. _«This can't be possible. It just can't be.»_

"You, move away from her!" 

Natasha heard a familiar man's voice and she turned around. When she saw the man she fainted. 

"O great, now there are two unconscious women here. Ned would please give me a hand?" Roxton yelled, for he was the man. Ned rushed over to see what help Roxton needed. Then he saw Marguerite lying one the ground and next to her an unfamiliar woman. 

"What has happened?" 

"I have no idea. But we have to carry both back to the treehouse for I saw a T-rex in the neighbourhood." Quickly Roxton took Marguerite in his arms and Ned did the same with Natasha. They walked back to the treehouse and put both women in bed. After a few hours Natasha awakened. Seeing five people standing around her. 

"We should thank you." Roxton said. "You saved Marguerite's life." Natasha was still too shocked to answer. 

"My girl," Summerlee said, "how did you get here? And were you're from?" 

Slowly Natasha remembered what happened. "Tessa, I have to find her!" ...........

"My dear, calm down, we'll help you. Is Tessa your friend?" Summerlee asked. 

"Yes Mr. Sinelni ... Oohh ... Mr. Summerlee...." _«God, it was still hard to believe!»_ "Are you the Challenger expedition?" Natasha asked, wanted to be sure. 

"Yes we are, how do you know about us?" Malone asked. 

"Well, it's hard to explain, but I must find Tessa first." Suddenly Nata thought: _«What if she isn't here?»_

"Where did you see her last?" Roxton asked. He was grateful and wanted to help. "I'll see maybe there are some clues." 

"You will help? Oh thanks! And how is Marguerite, is she alright?" 

"Oh yes, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me." 

"My name is Natasha." 

"Thank you Natasha, so, where you're from? You have strange equipment with you, we've seen it already." She said pointing at Natasha's cell phone. 

Natasha thought: _«Damn. How would I explain that they're just screen heroes and I watch them on TV? They don't even know what a TV is. But they saw my equipment.... well, let's give it a try.»_ "I guess it's hard to believe, but I'm from the future, from the year 2003." Natasha thought to herself _«Just like Tourist Season.»_ At first they were all silent. 

"We'll have to hurry. The jungle is not a very safe place." Veronica said. Natasha, Roxton, Veronica and Malone stepped into the elevator, but Marguerite and Challenger followed them. During their walk Natasha had a talk with some of them. Mostly with Marguerite. 

"Miss Krux, you know you're my favourite charac.... oh ... I wanted to say I admire you're knowledge of languages, as I'm a linguist myself and I like to learn old languages." 

"Well, thank you, call me Marguerite, and how do you know about it?" she said suspiciously. 

_«Damn, I'm so stupid. I have to be careful,»_ Natasha thought. _«What do I have to say now?»_ Suddenly she remembered how Roxton and Malone had talked about it when they brought her to the treehouse. "Well, I heard Roxton talking to Malone that they may need you're knowledge when I was able to speak. Then Roxton said some words about  ... how much he ... admires this skills of yours." _«He-he, let's have some fun.»_   Natasha thought. 

"Really?" Marguerite glanced at Roxton with amusement. 

After an hour walk they reached the place where Natasha last saw Tessa's steps. "Right here, they forced her to go." She explained. "And maybe they have the pilot too." 

Roxton and Veronica examined the steps carefully, then they looked at each other and Veronica said: "It's not very good, we have to hurry, these steps belong to .......... 

the lizard men."

"What? How is it possible that they had returned?" Malone said.

"Oh, but they return occasionally.' Natasha murmured. Marguerite, who was standing besides her, looked at her with suspicion. Natasha didn't notice Marguerite was looking at her and started to follow the footsteps. The others followed quickly. After an hour walk they saw a village. Tribune was just coming out of the gate for a ride.

"Well, well, who've we got here? I told you we'd meet again."

"Yeah right. You're not happy to see us and we're not happy to see you." Marguerite said bluntly.

"Then why have you come here?"

"We know your men have captured a girl." Roxton answered.

"A girl? You mean a human girl?"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

All of sudden one of the lizard men came running towards Tribune. "Tribune, the human we found last night ... she's ... I don't know what's wrong with her." The members looked at Tribune. "Well, it was worth a try, wasn't it?" Natasha didn't want to wait any longer and she ran into the village.

"Natasha wait." Summerlee said to her. But Natasha wanted to be sure that it was Tessa who was the human they were talking about and not somebody else. She entered the prison and walked down the hall. Suddenly she stood for a cell. She gasped ..........

and turned away quickly for it wasn't a pleasant sight. In the cell there was a body, all wounded and bruised, but it has man's wear, so Natasha went to the next cell. She smiled cause she heard a familiar voice shouting at some (poor) lizard guard.

"Just come closer and you'll be in the same condition as the pilot, you green bastard!"

"Tessa!" Natasha called.

"Who's there? Nata?! Is that you?"

"Yes, I was looking for you! What happened?"

"Well, it wasn't a pleasant trip, but I must get out of here first." Tessa said. "What the heck does all this mean? Is it what I think it is? Are we in The L...."

"Shh-hh, I'll explain later, don't tell anything about where we're from," Nata told. Then she whispered, "We are in The Lost World! I've met all the actors, but they are real!" She didn't saw Marguerite was in the jail already and that she saw them whispering.

"Oh, Marguerite, it's Tessa, my friend. She's a reporter."

"How pleasant, well, another reporter. I think I'll try to bear it." She added with a smile.

"Can we go now?" asked Tessa.  

"Not so fast." Tribune entered the jail. "I have some questions to you girls about your equipment."

The jail was now full of lizards and all explorers came in. After exchanging a few words, Tessa said "Tribune, we have to talk to you in private." They entered one cell.

"Look, Mr. Big Lizard, we know everything about you and you know our equipment is only for humans and we want to go now."

Then Tessa remembered on episode from season three. "Or do you want to tell us about…Titus…?" 

Tribune was shocked and stared at the girls.

Natasha added, " Do you think your lizards would be glad to know that their emperor was…"

"Stop it now! I see your position. After all your equipment is not that interesting at all. And you can go ... for now."

"Why don't I think this is our last meet with him?" Natasha whispered to Tessa.

Meanwhile Roxton and Marguerite were having a talk. "I'm not sure but something is wrong with those girls." Marguerite said.

"Come on Miss Krux. Natasha has saved your life and they don't seem dangerous."

"Yes I know, I don't think they're bad, but they hide something, I just feel it."

At this moment the girls and Tribune appeared. "We may go now," Natasha said, "Tribune was so kind."

Marguerite looked at Roxton and whispered, "You see, Tribune wouldn't let them go so easy without a special reason! All I want to know is what that reason is."

Natasha told Tessa "It seems that Marguerite suspects something. What do we do now?"

"Don't know, but you know her, she won't stop it. But WOW! How sweet do they look!!!!!"

"Well, we cannot tell them the truth, but we can distract her. Let's make them busy with ... each other" ..........

Tessa looked at Natasha with a glance in her eyes. Nata thought it would just be the idea of busy Marguerite 'cause Tessa said, "That's a marvellous idea! But how?"

"I will think of something. Something will pop up in my mind."

"Young ladies, are the two of you ready?" Summerlee said friendly. 

Natasha took a look at Tessa, who nodded a yes and then replied, "I guess we are."

The eight of them headed back to the treehouse. Natasha talked to Summerlee and asked a lot about plants. Tessa, however, walked silently behind the group. She couldn't believe that The Lost World really existed.

"Are you alright?"

Tessa looked up and saw that Marguerite walked besides her. "Yes I'm fine. Why?"

"You're awfully quiet ... for a reporter. I thought you would ask a lot about this place."

"I'm not feeling quite well." Tessa reached to her head and all of a sudden she fainted.

"Roxton!" Marguerite yelled, while she kneeled down. Roxton turned and saw what had happened. His quick turning draw Natasha's attention. She also turned around and she paled. Then she rushed over to Tessa. The other members noticed something was wrong and also rushed over when they saw Roxton and Natasha, as well for Marguerite, kneeled down. 

"What happened?" Summerlee asked.

"I don't know. We were just talking and she said she wasn't feeling well and then she fainted." Marguerite answered.

"Here, let me take a look at her." Summerlee said. Quickly he examined Tessa and then walked away. Natasha hadn't noticed the look on his face for she then would have known something serious was wrong. The members however, did notice it.

"Summerlee, what's wrong." Roxton asked.

Summerlee whispered to them, so Natasha couldn't hear it. "Her temperature is getting higher and higher. I think she has an infection, but I'm not sure. We have to get her back to the treehouse immediately and lower her temperature. Otherwise she won't survive it." Roxton walked back to Natasha and Tessa. He quickly put a supporting hand on Natasha's shoulder. Then he kneeled down, picked Tessa up and carried her back to the treehouse. The others followed him. When they finally were back at the treehouse, Roxton wanted to lay Tessa down. To everyone's surprise Marguerite offered her room. Roxton quickly laid Tessa in Marguerite's bed. Summerlee and Challenger disappeared to the lab, while Veronica and Ned started to prepare dinner. Marguerite walked towards Roxton for she wanted to talk to him, while Nata walked towards Marguerite's room ..........         

Tessa was in Marguerite's bed, she moaned and opened her eyes. Natasha came closer, she put a hand on Tessa's forehead, and it was very hot. Tessa had some wounds, just scratches, but they were infected.

"Nata, what's going on?" Tessa asked quietly.

"Sh-h! Don't speak. Summerlee told it's an infection. I guess Tribune's cells aren't the cleanest place here. But you'll recover soon, it's not serious. And I have some medicines with me."

"Always prepare all necessary things, right?"

"Yes, you know me." Nata took her medicine-kit and gave Taz some medicines. "It's antibiotics and something to lower the fever... here's only aspirin but I guess it's enough. Look Taz, you'll recover in a few days, but it's better if you stay in bed longer, pretend that you're weak. It gives us some time."

After some minutes Summerlee and the others came in with some herbs. While they were giving Tessa the herbs, Nata told them:

"My parents are doctors and I gave her some medicines, she will be OK soon, but it takes some time."

"What did you gave her?"

"Oh, it was antibiotics. First penicillin to prevent the infection, and doxycyclini, give it two times a day to her."

"So you're a doctor too?" asked Marguerite.

"No, I'm a linguist."

"And why did you go to the jungles?"

"I was collecting different tribes' folklore. And if you don't mind, I'd like something to eat." Veronica and Natasha went to the kitchen.

Some days have passed...

"Taz, it's getting harder and harder to avoid Marguerite's questions. I don't know what to do."

"You can tell them the truth."

"How? I can't tell that her name is Rachel and she's an actress."

"But we can tell that we heard about them ... I don't know ... about their expedition."

"Well, we do it if nothing else left." Then Natasha went to the balcony. Suddenly Marguerite appeared.

"Hello, how's Tessa?"

"She's fine, thanks."

"I'd like to ask, what did you tell Tribune?"

"Sorry, but I can't tell you this. Why Marguerite, why won't you believe that we're your friends?"

"I don't know what to think, you're very strange."

"Oh Marguerite, you should start to trust people."

"What do you mean?"

"Veronica told me that you had some problems in your past. Didn't you learn that not all people are the same? You have wonderful friends."

"Yes. I know. Let's go for a walk near the treehouse." They entered the elevator.

"But we won't get far, I guess that's the rule here."

"Yes, the rule for others. Don't worry, I took my gun."

"Roxton won't be very happy about this."

"It's not important and he won't know ... I hope."

"Not important ... I know everything, Miss Krux" Natasha thought and she asked smiling: "What do you think about Roxton?"

"Excuse me! What..." But Marguerite was interrupted by someone's screams. Marguerite and Nata ran there, they saw three men, some odd warriors, drag a girl. Marguerite shot one of them and told them to let the girl go. When the girl was near Nata, Marguerite said it was time to run as quick as possible to the treehouse. She was behind shooting. When they were close to the treehouse, Natasha turned her head and saw that the warriors took Marguerite and disappeared into the jungle. Then the other explorers and Tessa appeared and Ned asked: "What happened? Who's this girl?"

"I know her," Veronica answered, "It's Kora from the Zanga village." 

Natasha quickly told them about those warriors. While the others were exploring for steps, Natasha came to Tessa.

"Oh my God, Taz, remember this; Kora!"

"What?"

"The episode where this girl was taken to that awful place and then Veronica too. But Kora was killed first. Than the others came to save Veronica. And now they took Marguerite instead of Kora."

"Oh no, that means..."

"Don't say this, we must tell Roxton ..........

that Marguerite's live is in great danger."

"And how do you want to do that?" Tessa asked. "If we tell them what we know it surely would draw their suspicion. Marguerite must have said something. Especially to Roxton. I'm sure of it."

"We could tell them that one of us can foretell the future. Or that we have read books about their expedition." Natasha replied.

"Did you got hit on the head or something?! We can't tell them we read books about the Challenger expedition. Remember Tourist Season? The pilot said he had never heard of them." Natasha looked perplexed. She couldn't believe she had actually forgotten that. It wasn't her favourite episode though she had had to remember this little, but big detail.

"And I also don't like your first idea," Tessa continued, "I've had it with all those lies."

"Do you have a better idea?" Natasha snapped. Tessa could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. That's why she had chosen to become a reporter. 

Natasha started to walk away from Tessa, towards the members. Tessa quickly followed. When she finally walked besides Natasha she whispered: "You won't do it, you hear me!"

"Roxton." Natasha spoke. Every one looked up. "I hate to say this, but ... euhm ... Marguerite's life is in danger,"

"And how do you know that?" Veronica asked.  

"She," Natasha told, pointing at Tessa, "she can foretell the future."

"What?!" Every member now looked at Tessa, who really wanted that the ground would split open. She turned her face to Natasha and gave her an 'I-can't-believe-you-just-did-that' look.

"Well ... euhm ... it's true. I can see the future as well the past. But we really have to hurry. There's not much time left."

"But we don't even know where she is." Summerlee said.

"I saw this place. It looked like a desert. Though it also had areas where moisture rules."

"I know that place." Malone said. The others looked up in Amazement. Malone coloured. "At least, I think I know it."

"Well, don't keep us waiting Malone, tell it." Roxton said impatiently.

"I know it too." Veronica said.

"The desert swamp." Malone and Veronica said in unison.

After have walked for three hours there was still no sign of Marguerite. Roxton really got worried. He walked a bit further to some bushes while the others had stopped. When he got there he saw something blinking in the sunlight. Roxton took a good look at it and he took the object out of the branches. It was a heart-shaped locket.

"Did you found something?"

Roxton looked up and saw Summerlee standing behind him. "Yeah, Marguerite's locket." He showed Summerlee the necklace.

"So that means she isn't far away, is she?"

Roxton sighed. "I have no idea. It's possible that they've been here for some hours ago. Think of it, we haven't seen her for..." Roxton couldn't finish what he wanted to say for a scream rent the air..........   

Roxton paled, then he rushed forward. Everybody followed him.

Behind the nearest bushes they saw a woman, she was leaning against a big rock. Her face was distorted with horror. She was attacked by two raptors. The explorers began to shoot. The raptors were dead in a minute. The woman was still shocked; she looked widely at her saviours. Roxton came closely and said: "Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you."

The woman was silent for a while, then she looked in the direction of Roxton's arm. He was holding Marguerite's locker. "Thank you for saving me ... if it weren't for your help ... those monsters ... (she began to sob) ... they would ... kill me, like ... they ... HIM." She pointed at the body a few meters away.

Now the explorers noticed the body. The man was dead, his body was in a very bad condition, but they could see he was a warrior.

"He wanted to kill me, he was running after me, and I thought I'm dead, but then those creatures appeared." She seemed to be all right now. "My name is Safag and my people were attacked, they wanted to kill us."

Suddenly five warriors appeared, but they didn't attack. 

"Don't worry, they're my men." Said Safag and then she told some words to the warriors in an unfamiliar language. "I said to them that you saved my life. Would you join us? Our village wasn't completely destroyed and we defeated the enemy. I want to make a celebration of our victory."

"We'd be honoured, but we have another mission, we must find our friend."

"I saw a woman with those savages, maybe it was your friend? What happened?"

They told her how Marguerite looked like and what had happened.

"Yes, it was your friend. She was unconscious. We wanted to help, but we couldn't. But my men know how to find them, we can lead you."

"Thank you, please, help us." Roxton was worried since he got to know that those savages kill people. Marguerite was in great danger and he wanted to do something as quickly as possible.

Safag told something to one of her men, and he left. "I sent him to tell my people I'm safe." And she let the way.

Natasha and Tessa had a talk.

"Hmm! I don't like that woman at all!" Natasha said.

"Why?"

"I don't know exactly."

"Why Nata, don't you like the way she looks or how she speaks, or maybe you don't like it that Roxton had saved her?" Tessa asked with sarcasm. She was still angry about Natasha's words of her 'ability' to see the future.

"No, it's just that she reminds me of my biology teacher and I dislike her much."

"Oh! Now I see!" Tessa teased.

"No, no kidding. Look at this dead man. She said he was pressing her, but look carefully at those steps, don't you notice anything interesting?"

Tessa examined the steps. "WOW! It seems that he was heading away from her."

"Exactly, and he was running away, he was in panic, look the steps are deeper at the front part. Like it's when someone's running. And the steps take different directions, like he was turning and didn't know where to run to."

"But that means she was lying."

"And I don't like how she speaks to her men. I couldn't understand what she told, but I don't like the intonation."

"Nata, remember what she said. She spoke about a woman. How did she know we were speaking about a woman? She knew so much about her, but how could she knew what Marguerite looks like if she was fighting and had no time to watch around? I also thinks she saw Marguerite's necklace in Roxton's hand."

"Taz, you're great! Now I remember that she began to speak only after she has seen the necklace."

"But if it's so, than she wants something from us."

"Yeah! We must find it out!"

"But we have to tell the others what we know."

"What! We tell them that I don't like her 'cause she reminds me of my teacher? We must find proof."

"Nata, do you know what that means?"

"Ugh?"

"That means **we are in a new episode**! That's great!"

"Well, that also means **we don't know what could happen next**! That's bad!"

Four had passed and the group stopped for a rest.

"Look Nata, we must tell the others that we don't trust her."

"I guess you're right."

They didn't notice that Safag was close. She said something to her men. Natasha and Tessa were staying aside; suddenly they heard someone walk near. 

"Taz, it's that warrior Safag sent to her village. He's following us."

"I'm going to tell Roxton right now what we think."

"Ok, I'll stay behind. Just make sure that he comes here."

Tessa began to walk faster, for Roxton was further away. She wanted to call him and opened her mouth, but suddenly she felt someone's hand on her mouth. Then everything happened in a second. The explorers were sitting around the fire when about ten men appeared out of nowhere. Roxton and Malone began to shoot, but they got shot by small arrows, and fell to the ground as well as Veronica. Challenger was caught with a net. 

Safag said to him, "Don't worry, they're just sleeping. Someone wanted them alive."

Natasha tried to run away, to warriors run after her. She was running as fast as she could, but her pursuers were to close. They nearly caught her when she felt into a whole in the ground. It was deep, but she felt in water. The stream took her and she was trying to swim, but it was too strong. She closed her eyes and fell into darkness. The warriors thought Natasha was dead. When Natasha opened her eyes a few minutes later, she saw a bank. She reached the ground, sat and began to think.

_«What do I do now? I must help, but how? I can't do it by myself.»_ Then she looked around and saw that she was in the land of the lizards. _«That's it. Tribune!»_

Meanwhile somewhere in the jungle, the explorers woke up. They saw they were in a camp near the mountains. They were tied. A figure headed to them and said with an evil grin, "Well, I'm so glad to see you all again! I've been waiting for our meeting for a long time!"

The explorers screamed together (Tessa included), "**You!?**"  Everyone was surprised. They had never expected to see this woman again.

"How … how … how is that possible?" Malone said.

Roxton swallowed. Seeing this woman brought back bad memories. "What do you want!"

"It's so good to see you see you all again." Danielle said for she was it. Then she looked at Tessa. "We haven't met I believe. I'm …"

"Yeah, yeah, I know who you are. Cut the show will you!" Tessa snapped. "You better tell us what you want!"

"Well, well, someone else with spirit in the group. I just came back from someone with the same spirit as you." 

Roxton had paled. "What have you done with Marguerite? Where is she?" 

"Don't tell me you're worried about her." Danielle's attention went from Tessa to Roxton. Tessa took the opportunity and slowly backed off. Nobody noticed that she walked to one of the cabins. When she was almost there, somebody grabbed her.

"Sssh. It's me." Tessa turned around and saw Natasha. Besides her stood Tribune. "Don't even say it." Natasha spoke.

"I wouldn't dare to do that." Tessa smirked. "I guess he's here to help?"

"Hoho, wait a second." Tribune started.

"No I won't. Believe me, I will tell." Natasha threatened. "Taz, do you have any idea where Marguerite could be?"

Tessa pointed at the cabin some yards away. Natasha nodded her head. "I guess you're right. Why else would some one standing there? Who's camp is it actually?"

"From that voodoo witch!"

"Danielle? I just adore that woman" Tessa and Natasha looked at Tribune with disgust in their eyes. "You know what I mean, her spirit."

"Sure." Tessa said. She started walking to the cabin. When she got there she hit the guard unconscious and walked in. Natasha and Tribune following her. 

Marguerite had heard the noise and jumped up. "Who's there?"

"Shhh. It's us." Tessa said. Then she freed Marguerite. "We have to hurry. Danielle will notice soon I'm not with the rest anymore."

Tessa had just said that or they heard Danielle scream where that girl had gone. And all of a sudden guards surrounded Tribune, Marguerite, Natasha and Tessa. Roxton's face showed a relief over the fact that Marguerite was alright. He and the others had managed to take their guns, in Veronica's case a knife, and walked to the other four.

"Let them go Danielle." Roxton said.

"How heroic. You're saving her live again." In the mean time Danielle nodded a yes to one of the guards. He took his knife to kill Marguerite but he was too late. Roxton shot him. Danielle took her own knife and ran towards Marguerite. Roxton paled. Danielle dropped on the ground. Though Roxton wasn't the one who had shot. Tribune had thrown a knife. The guards quickly disappeared. 

Roxton ran to Marguerite. "Are you alright?" Marguerite only nodded. 

"Well, no thanks needed. I'll disappear silently to my own land." Tribune said. Everybody looked up, but then their attention went out to Marguerite again. However Tessa and Natasha smiled when Tribune left.      

**~~~~~**

**Epilogue**

How did it end? After three days walking we were all back at the treehouse. Natasha and I thought we were never getting of the plateau when all of us suddenly heard something. We all went outside and saw a helicopter landing. The pilot came out and walked towards us. He looked at Natasha and me and asked if we were the reporter and the linguist who were missing. Marguerite even didn't take her chance of getting away from that place. Perhaps she was grateful for what we had done, who knows? We said everyone goodbye and then we flew away. 

However, the next morning I woke up in my own room. The phone was ringing and I had an angry boss who said that if I wouldn't get at work within 15 minutes I would be fired. Had it all been a dream? Or had it actually happened?        

"Just some words from me (Natasha):

So we're back now. Taz made an outstanding article and got one of those countless prizes as best reporter of the year. And I, well I made languages my work. I also made a great linguist discovery with old languages and now have authority among colleagues (I must confess I made it with Marguerite's help).

Now I'm reading about our adventures, and it seems like a dream to me! Was it only a dream? I looked at my calendar; it was 27-10-**2001**. So it was a dream, just a 'game' as Taz and I called it. I felt disappointed. Living an episode, is it possible at all? I think it's possible, it's possible in a fan's mind, in a fanfic or maybe even more. What if Taz can predict the future indeed? What if we get on the Plateau? Well, it's not so long till the year 2003…………"

**The end.**


End file.
